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US athletes and the presidential election

The 2016 presidential election campaign has shown how deeply politically divided the United States has become. The world of professional sports has been no exception.

LeBron James

"What is locker room talk to me? It’s not what that guy said…that’s trash talk," is how James reacted to Donald Trump bragging about forcing himself on women. The Cleveland Cavalier publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidency through a written statement and joined her at a rally in Ohio, Lebron’s home state. The 2016 NBA MVP has encouraged African-Americans to turn out to vote.

Tom Brady

The New England quarterback walked away from a press conference when asked about Donald Trump’s comments. In a separate interview, though, Brady said that Trump was his friend and that "I support all my friends in everything they do." However, the four-time Super Bowl champion denied endorsing the Republican candidate, saying he had yet to decide which candidate he will vote for.

Abby Wambach

The former United States international and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion has been extremely vocal during the 2016 election campaign. Wambach wrote on Twitter that she "won’t stop until Hillary Clinton is in the oval office." The retired forward has been highly critical of Trump’s antics and campaigned for Clinton at a "Women for Hillary" event in the state of New Hampshire.

Mike Tyson

He wants Trump to win the election by a knockout, similar to the way he used to beat his opponents in the ring. The former heavyweight boxing champion said during an interview that he wanted Trump to "run America like a business. Where no colors matter, whoever could do the job, gets the job." Tyson fought four times at a Trump casino at the beginning of his professional career.

Magic Johnson

During the summer, Magic Johnson hosted a private fundraiser for Hillary Clinton at his California home. The retired Los Angeles Lakers point guard shared pictures of him and Clinton through his Instagram account during the event, using the hashtag #imwithher to show his support for the Democrat presidential candidate. The NBA legend also campaigned for Clinton during her 2008 presidential bid.

Dennis Rodman

The former NBA player is best known for his eccentric style and hanging out with the likes of Kim Jong Un rather than for his bygone days on the court. To many, it comes as no surprise that Rodman refers to Trump as being "a great friend for many years." The retired Chicago Bulls power forward tweeted "We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump!"

Carl Lewis

After attending one of Hillary Clinton’s events in Iowa early this year, the track-and-field legend tweeted: "With my full support. Let’s go Hillary!" The nine-time Olympic gold medalist entered politics himself in 2011, attempting to run for a seat in the New Jersey Senate as a Democrat. However, his name was removed from the ballot as he did not fulfill the state's residency requirement.

John Daly

Professional golfer John Daly praised Donald Trump for being "not politics, he's business" in a tweet expressing his support for the candidate during Super Tuesday. The five-time winner on the PGA Tour considers "the Donald" a friend and believes he is "what our country needs."

LeBron James

"What is locker room talk to me? It’s not what that guy said…that’s trash talk," is how James reacted to Donald Trump bragging about forcing himself on women. The Cleveland Cavalier publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidency through a written statement and joined her at a rally in Ohio, Lebron’s home state. The 2016 NBA MVP has encouraged African-Americans to turn out to vote.

Tom Brady

The New England quarterback walked away from a press conference when asked about Donald Trump’s comments. In a separate interview, though, Brady said that Trump was his friend and that "I support all my friends in everything they do." However, the four-time Super Bowl champion denied endorsing the Republican candidate, saying he had yet to decide which candidate he will vote for.

Abby Wambach

The former United States international and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion has been extremely vocal during the 2016 election campaign. Wambach wrote on Twitter that she "won’t stop until Hillary Clinton is in the oval office." The retired forward has been highly critical of Trump’s antics and campaigned for Clinton at a "Women for Hillary" event in the state of New Hampshire.

Mike Tyson

He wants Trump to win the election by a knockout, similar to the way he used to beat his opponents in the ring. The former heavyweight boxing champion said during an interview that he wanted Trump to "run America like a business. Where no colors matter, whoever could do the job, gets the job." Tyson fought four times at a Trump casino at the beginning of his professional career.

Magic Johnson

During the summer, Magic Johnson hosted a private fundraiser for Hillary Clinton at his California home. The retired Los Angeles Lakers point guard shared pictures of him and Clinton through his Instagram account during the event, using the hashtag #imwithher to show his support for the Democrat presidential candidate. The NBA legend also campaigned for Clinton during her 2008 presidential bid.

Dennis Rodman

The former NBA player is best known for his eccentric style and hanging out with the likes of Kim Jong Un rather than for his bygone days on the court. To many, it comes as no surprise that Rodman refers to Trump as being "a great friend for many years." The retired Chicago Bulls power forward tweeted "We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump!"

Carl Lewis

After attending one of Hillary Clinton’s events in Iowa early this year, the track-and-field legend tweeted: "With my full support. Let’s go Hillary!" The nine-time Olympic gold medalist entered politics himself in 2011, attempting to run for a seat in the New Jersey Senate as a Democrat. However, his name was removed from the ballot as he did not fulfill the state's residency requirement.

John Daly

Professional golfer John Daly praised Donald Trump for being "not politics, he's business" in a tweet expressing his support for the candidate during Super Tuesday. The five-time winner on the PGA Tour considers "the Donald" a friend and believes he is "what our country needs."